• by Aaron Baar , May 6, 2011

As people's lives become more technologically complicated, they're expressing a desire to have one single company handle their technical support and management.

According to a new survey from Accenture, nearly two-thirds (63%) of so-called "super-users" (those who own and use 14 or more consumer electronics devices for their personal and business needs) said they would like to have one company support all of their devices, regardless of the communications services (landline, broadband, wireless, cable, satellite) each device uses.

"Users are starting to show a preference of integrated support for their mobile and technological needs," Kurt Hogan, senior executive of premium technology services at Accenture, tells Marketing Daily. "There's a critical mass of consumers that have a desire for that support."

Among these users, the biggest concerns were security issues. Sixty-eight percent said they would want support to reduce the likelihood of serious computer problems that could put data at risk and cost a lot of money to fix; 67% said they would want increased security; 62% said improved computer speed was an issue and 57% said they wanted help obtaining the latest software and security patches.

Given that many consumers don't fall into this "super-user" category (although we're getting closer as our connected devices begin to include televisions and DVD players), it's likely that demand for a single, integrated provider will increase as more "average" consumers become super users and the line between personal and work devices continues to blur.

"You're seeing a different behavior from a certain segment of users," Hogan says. "They are asking for integrated support, and they have a ton of devices. The thing to watch is when the average consumer moves into that category."

When that happens, the communication services providers may be the ones poised to benefit. According to Accenture's survey, more than one-third of general consumers (34%) and more than half of "super users" (52%) said they would choose a company that they already pay monthly service for (such as a cable or satellite company) to help with their desktop or laptop computers. More than half of smartphone consumers (58%) said they would look to their wireless provider for technical support for those devices.

"It certainly represents an opportunity for service providers," Hogan says. "They have a trusted relationship with customers who have a need."